Mondays Are for Home

I don't know about you guys, but our weekends are always so busy and full of activity (even when it's just taking care of chores around the house) that when Monday rolls around, I like for us to just stay put if we can.

She wore that hat all morning long. We sang several repetitions of "Little Bunny Foo Foo" as a result.

This morning, after breakfast, the littles played so nicely together while I started a load of laundry and did a couple other home-loving duties that needed my attention. The two of them happily traipsed around the house in their respective get-ups, roaming from room to room with toys.

We had a fire fighter in our midst in the morning and Iron Man in the afternoon.

Little Lady likes to give hugs and kisses, even to the little plastic animals on the exersaucer.

 Because he had done so well with occupying his sister, I told Little Man that we could make play dough while the baby took her morning nap. A friend had shared a link to a glow-in-the-dark play dough recipe last week, and I thought it would be worth a try. B has always been a terrific helper, and we had fun concocting our batch of bright yellow play dough together.

Stirring up the dry ingredients with his own blue "whisker"

Taking a yogurt break to let the dough cool down

Kneading out the dough to make sure it's all even

"Awww! I have such a pretty little heart!"

Play dough is such fun!

Making bricks for a fort

Did you see my Jams? I keep saying this with almost every new wrap I wear, but out of all the ones I've worn so far, these probably represent me best.

You can wear them, too! Get yours HERE!

I just love words.

And books.

And writing.

Anyway, back to the play dough. We don't own a proper black light, but we DO have an amazing bug zapper! And friends, the dough definitely glows!

The remainder of our day was equally low-key. We had falafel wraps for lunch, B took a terrific, long afternoon nap, and Little Lady entertained herself underneath the dining room table blowing raspberries while I sorted through our mail.

Monday nights are supposed to be beans and rice nights; last year, I heard someone say that they have a weekly family beans and rice night in order to remember how the majority of the world lives (if you stop to think about it, the life we get to live here in America is pretty unreal). But I forgot to get beans yesterday, so I made Pioneer Woman's Spinach, Potato & Kale Soup ('tis the season for soup!), her version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, which is at the complete opposite of the spectrum of beans and rice. It is scrumptious, albeit counterproductive to the goal of dropping some poundage. A friend mentioned that she uses bacon in hers (but compensates by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream). Have any of you tried this recipe? If you haven't, you must! It is a perfect soup for winter!

Source

Beans and rice will have to happen another day.

Hope everyone's Monday was just as lovely!